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Brian M asked in Society & CultureLanguages · 1 decade ago

what is the origin of "the whole nine yards"?

Why Nine and not ten?Why popular in the south and southwest and not the north and northeast? When and where did it originate? Is it based on Football?

1 Answer

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  • 1 decade ago

    I think it's to do with the fact that in WWII, the P-51 or P-47 fighters had nine yards of .50 caliber ammunition in their wings. To have expended all your ammunition was to have given it "the whole nine yards".

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